Keith 2 Banks O' Dee 3: Maroons season ends with defeat at Kynoch Park
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A BUSY end of season period saw Keith play seven matches in just three weeks – with two tight defeats against high-flying teams to end the campaign.
After a 2-0 defeat against eventual title-winners Brechin City at Kynoch Park on Wednesday night, the Maroons welcomed Banks O’ Dee to town on Saturday.
And Keith brought the curtain down on their season fighting tooth and nail against the Highland League Cup winners, losing 3-2 having led the match for a good spell.
In a game that most certainly wasn’t stale end of season fare, the Maroons showed their recent fighting qualities admirably.
They fell behind to a goal just before half-time, then in a sparkling four-minute spell just after the break, equalised then got their noses in front with a terrific goal.
Banks O’ Dee hit back with their own four minute salvo, then edged ahead, although the homesters rolled the sleeves up and battled to the very last gasp.
It was an impressive display of fitness from Keith, who ended up playing seven gruelling encounters in 21 days, five of those games coming against teams considerably further up the league table, and matched their opponents on each occasion.
There were chances at both ends in the first half, with Keith more than holding their own against the visitors, but cruelly they fell behind two minutes from the break when Lachie MacLeod fired home from 15 yards.
However, Craig Ewen’s men came out firing on all cylinders after the half time break and levelled thanks to skipper James Brownie heading home his fifth goal of the season at the back post.
The Maroons then found themselves in front with a marvellous goal, Liam Duncan cutting in from the left wing to crash an absolute beauty into the top far corner of the net, for his own fifth strike of the season.
However, Dee then had their own four minute spell starting in the 70th minute when Kane Winton sent a powerful header into the roof of the net.
MacLeod then raced clear to slot past Craig Reid for what his second of the game and what turned out to be the winner.
There was almost a sting in the tail when, in the dying seconds, and with nothing to lose, the Maroons were awarded a corner and goalie Reid raced upfield and flung himself at the incoming ball, missing it by mere inches – now that would have been a story!
The defeat means that Keith end the campaign in 15th place.
Lossiemouth’s last day draw at Wick Academy saw them move above the Maroons on goal difference, having conceded four goals fewer across the season.
n Keith forward Joey Wilson was stretchered off the park during Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat against Brechin City.
After a trip to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for a scan, it was confirmed that Wilson has suffered a fractured bone and ligament damage.
